Triathlon Swim Warmup

This video shows a routine I learned in college when we swam dual meets at schools without a warm-up pool. A lot of guys would jog back and forth on the pool deck and do jumping jacks, but I found these swimming specific motions to be quite a bit more effective in preparing for a swim race. For a triathlon I do this routine after I have finished my bike/run warm-up and have gotten my wetsuit half way on. The wetsuit is helpful because it keeps your muscles warm, which is the point.

I used this dry-land warm-up routine last week before the Kirkland Triathlon, when the police wouldn’t allow us to swim prior to the race start, and I’ve used it at races like Escape from Alcatraz and Treasure Island where even if you could get in for a warm-up, the water is so cold that it just doesn’t seem worth it. Some people bring bands and do many of the same motions. I find that’s a hassle and just one extra thing to pack. You can make up for a lack in resistance simply by increasing the speed of your swimming movements.